for me. Then came the days of wearing the handkerchiefs for 2 weeks, maybe three and going out one damp cold morning without it. It was almost as though I couldn’t function. I realized it’s time to try the full hijaab.
I met another sister, Umme (means Mom in Arabic, but she’s like a mom to me), from Maryland via the computer. Because I was looking for someone to send me some books, maybe some extra hijaabs. Bless Umme’s soul because I went to the mailbox one morning and got the beloved yellow slip saying ‘you have a box’ so I went literally POSTAL (no pun intended, yeah right) wondering if it was from Umme or my Aunt – my aunt always sends me tons and tons of hair products which I can’t get enough of.
“Here it is…someone sent you a lot of stuff,”said the Postal Worker and I look up and to my amazement there’s a box as two times wider then me (and trust me, that’s wide) and half my height!!! My eyes open with wonder and shear excitement! I lug the box out to the car and squeeze it into my mom’s Nissan Altima, which thank goodness is a large car, if I would have had my Saab I would have had to tie it to the roof, and flew home as fast as I could. “It’s a box of treasures!!! Ma’ come look!! I can’t believe this!!” I said to my mother, screaming with excitement almost tearing up because I couldn’t believe a person could ever be this generous. This was my second encounter of the love and sincerity of Islam (of course Maryam).
The box contained treasures. Dresses, Hijaabs, Books, Pamplets, Qur’an, Pocket sized Qur’an, tapes, and the most beloved and used present of all “The Beginner’s Guide to Prayer”. I still have this pamphlet now and it’s falling apart – I still have to use it on the last part of my prayer (where you’re sitting) because I don’t know all of it yet. I have never used a book so much in my life. I took out the hijaabs and the dresses and I wore my favorite outfit of all.
Now comes the story of hijaab; the best benefit Allah has given to us women. To start the story off correctly I should explain how my mother reacted to me being a Muslim. She at first didn’t understand what exactly it was. Luckily I had Maryam to help me out on this one as well.
Her mother, is a revert and she had to go through the same thing I was going through (telling her family) and she was nice enough to send my mother an e-mail explaining and trying to help. She helped a lot; mom was a bit more relaxed. It took about a week for her to warm up to Islam; to this day she still asks questions and I couldn’t be more happy to answer them.
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Onto hijaab story! The first day I went out in hijaab was in my new drabs (above) and could not feel more proud. There are not enough words in the English, French, and German dictionaries to explain the way I felt. Since this was about almost 2 months after 9\11 everyone was still on shaky ground about Muslims.
I thought, living in the sticks of Maine, that everyone would be so mean to me because a lot of people here 99.99% of them are Christian and about 50% are racist. I was wrong; I totally underestimated my own people. People were looking at me (of course) but not in a negative way. I thought the hijaab was going to be a total mess (the first time I heard of it) but today it is the best blessing Allah has given to us. The benefits [to list] would take me years, if not centuries. The most important of all is the modesty in front of men. I always, since I began to become a woman, have felt like a sirloin steak being picked over by men every day!
The only time when I feel safe and secure is in my Islamic Dress…that consists of hijaab (covering hair, neck and ears) and loose fitting clothes. Until this day, anytime which I go out without hijaab (which, alhumdulilah has been few) I feel like I am completely naked!
The hijaab, for women, is the best thing possible. I would also like to point out [to the non-Muslims] this important fact! In the ‘Muslim’ countries (Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc.) where 99.99% of the women cover, the rate of rape and sexual assault are so low they barely exist. This is a fact – (NOTE: Get the statistics from the sisters!)- Not just a rumor.
The rest of my story is incredibly amazing. I have been living the Muslim life, alhumdulilah, and I have been trying to do my best. I have since stopped a lot of haraam (sinful) actions and continue to work on getting rid of the rest. The last part of my story is the most amazing part. I would never guess this would ever happen.
My father, who I said earlier has no religion, started to see the change Islam had on my life (for the positive) and he took note of this. I was on the telephone with him one night and he asked me to send him some information on what Islam consists of. When I heard this I said to myself, “This is the pure actions of Allah; no one, or thing, could have possibly done such an act of pure grace.” This is Islam in brief, and this is Islam and me.
Thank you (Salaams),
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Author’s note: I would like to dedicate This to Maryam Ezzedine, Umme Zahid, And Allah.
http://www.challengeyoursoul.com
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A journey to God
The flight details
Type of ticket : Only one-way
Price: Absolutely free (reservation confirmed)
Details of the passenger
Name: One of the sons of Adam
Source: Mud
Address: Planet Earth
Conditions of travel
Starting point: Of life on Earth
Target: Eternal life
Stop: Hotel (2 meters under ground, for one person)
Flight duration: Of a couple of seconds to many millions of years
Time of departure
Time of death: The exact time is unknown (but it can happen sooner than expected)
Time of arrival: In the day of judgement (is not specified in the calendar)
Information about interrogation
To get to the hotel (tomb): Incorruptible Auditors - two Angels: Munkar and Nakir, which will immediately begin to ask.
Three questions will be made:
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1. Who is your God?
2. Who is your Prophet?
3. What is your Religion?
(REMEMBER THEM!)
More questions about your life will then remain on Earth. For more information, refer to the Ayah (verse) 27 of the Surah (chapter) 14 Ibrahim of the Holy Quran.
Luggage
Despite the fact that the air transfer only a passenger at the same time, there are some restrictions on the amount of luggage you can bring with you:
· 5 Meters of white cloth you can take with you.
· Any element of the material life of the land is strictly prohibited.
· The real luggage should consist of good works, modest behaviour and time well used to call people to Islam.
Important instructions:
· All passengers are reminded that tickets are not exchangeable or refundable.
· This workshop is mandatory for representatives of all races, nationalities, religions and of all ages.
· The delays are not stipulated.
Captain:
The Angel of death will not commit to change the date or time of departure.
For more information:
Read the instructions, which can be found in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah also accessible with the Alims (scholars). Please do so as soon as possible.
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During your day, you will not be provided with oxygen mask, since their respiratory system is completed just before the break.
Additional instructions:
You don’t need to worry about your boarding pass, passport or other travel documents.
To have a comfortable flight:
· Pray 5 times a day
· Read the Holy Quran
· Follow the sunnah the better that can and are ready for your flight, since you may have to leave at any time (even now).
Final warning:
The final destination is up to you! Please, do not waste your time on the planet Earth. Remember, you have the ticket of ida: either to Jahannam (hell) or the (Jannah) paradise.
Inshaallah (if Allah wants to), with his grace, all you will find in the gardens of Jannah, the Prophet alaihi wasallam alahu Hall (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Transmitid my message, even if it is only an ayah (verse)”.
Original Version in Spanish Language: www.caminoalislam.com
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Our Worship through the Seasons I
The inherent difficulties faced by Muslims here with the seasonal variations in prayer times are part and parcel of life, so what positives can we take from this difficulty?
Many of us when hearing and reading eulogies of past communities, invariably begin to compare that past with that of our present. Naturally we begin to focus on our present days’ failings, longing to have lived in that romanticized past, free from most if not all difficulties. Eventually when we climb down out of the clouds and into the real world we realize, that we cannot change the fact that we live in the 21st century. A century seemingly filled with daily horrors and devoid of morality, it can sometimes feel unbearably hard to live in; however, wallowing in our misgivings can often be counterproductive and rather as the proverb goes, if we were to make hay while the sun shines, there is much to gain in living in this era and in this part of the world too.
For everything there is a season...
Islam is a divinely ordained way of life, transcending time and place. In every hardship we face, there is wisdom for the believer and an opportunity for him to rise in status with his Lord. {Verily, with the hardship, there is relief (i.e. there is one hardship with two reliefs, so one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs).} [Al-Sharh 94:6].
{إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا{الشرح: 6
Transliteration: Inna maAAa alAAusri yusran
And the Prophetic narration, “How wonderful is the affair of the believer? For his affairs are all good, and this applies to none but the believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and he is rewarded for that. If something bad befalls him, he bears it with patience and he is rewarded for that” [Reported by Muslim].
عجبا لأمر المؤمن، إن أمره كله خير، وليس ذاك لأحد إلا للمؤمن. إن أصابته سراء شكر، «
رواه مسلم » فكان خيرا له. وإن أصابته ضراء صبر، فكان خيرا له
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Are but a few examples of how Islam ingrains lessons of encouragement and positivity. Realizing these lessons should help us counter the excessive complaining, procrastination and general negativity towards life that we find within many of our circles.
The United Kingdom is that part of the consumer world where life is furiously fast. Even Muslims visiting from abroad can often be left puzzled by the widely varying prayer times especially with no public call to prayer to remind them of their daily obligations. The inherent difficulties faced by Muslims here with the seasonal variations in prayer times are part and parcel of life, so what positives can we take from this difficulty?
The winter days are very short, sometimes the end of Fajr is as early as 8.00 am and Maghrib at 4pm, whilst during the summer days, Fajr ends at 4.30am and Maghrib at 9.30pm. There are many advantages we can draw from this:
Firstly, the opportunity to pray in congregation three or four times a day in the Mosque during the summer period should be very easy even for those who are working full time. And why would one want to miss out on an opportunity like this when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The prayer of a person in congregation is twenty seven times better than the prayer of the person individually.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari].
رواه البخاري » صلاة الجماعة تفضل صلاة الفذ بسبع وعشرين درجة «
Naturally, the chance to have a wage or salary which is 27 times more for practically doing the same thing at the same time is not an opportunity any of us would want to miss (From this October, 2010, the minimum wage will be £5.93 an hour, so that would mean £160.11 an hour!). So why with our daily prayers, which we must pray within their fixed times, do we not grab that offer? The first offer is one that benefits us in this life and the second offer is one that benefits us in the ever-lasting life of the Hereafter.
Secondly, the time between Maghrib and the beginning of Fajr is very short in the summer, so praying the night prayer during the last third of the night is surprisingly easy. In other countries closer to the equator where the nights are much longer, waking up in the last third of the night is harder and praying most of that last third is even more so. In addition, in the winter (in the UK), the days become so short, we can wake up a short time before Fajr at a quite normal time. We can pray our night prayer after which we can carry on with the rest of our day with as much ease as when we do our daily routine of work, school
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etc. So, how can we deny ourselves of this opportunity, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) informed us: “Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven, when only one third of the night has remained. He says: “Who will invoke Me, so that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him.” [Agreed upon].
يتنزل ربنا تبارك وتعالى كل ليلة إلى السماء الدنيا، حين يبقى ثلث الليل الآخر، يقول: «
متفق عليه » من يدعوني فأستجيب له، من يسألني فأعطيه، من يستغفرني فأغفر له
And in another report, he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) adds: “Then Allah extends His Hand and says: ‘Who wants to invest (good deeds) with the One who is not wasteful or unjust?” and in another narration: “He continues to say this until the dawn arrives.” [Sahih Muslim].
رواه » فلا يزال كذلك حتى يضيء الفجر « وفي رواية » من يقرض غير عديم ولا ظلوم «
مسلم
Thirdly, during the winter, the beginning of Fajr till Maghrib amounts to just ten hours (6am to 4pm) and so fasting should be easy as pie! (Although, eating some pie would kind of defeat the purpose of the fast!) In fact, a person is only expected to miss out on lunch. How can one not do this when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best fasting is the fast of David (Dawood): he used to fast one day and not the next.” [Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim].
رواه البخاري ومسلم » أحب الصيام إلى الله صيام داود: كان يصوم يوما ويفطر يوما «
Moreover, there are the recommended Fasts for every Monday and Thursday and the middle three days of the Islamic months. Some of our scholars have considered fasting to be one of the greatest actions in Islam. Whilst all actions have a limit to their reward, fasting is an act that has not, as it consists of various types of patience, lessons in self-development and numerous guiding morals.
Fourthly, praying the recommended mid-morning prayer - Salatul-Duha (or Ishraq) becomes effortless. The time for the mid-morning prayer is from when the Sun has risen to the height of a spear above the horizon, which is around fifteen or twenty minutes after sunrise. Since Maghrib in the winter period is a lot earlier, it would be safe to pray this slightly earlier, about 10 minutes after
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sunrise. However, the point is that it could be prayed before one leaves for work. How can we miss out on this, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays Fajr prayer in congregation then awaits patiently until he offers the Shurook prayer shall have the reward of a person who has completed both Hajj and Umrah, not lacking in any way.” [Al-Albani said: Hasan (good) due to other narrations].
من صلى الصبح في جماعة، ثم قعد يذكر الله حتى تطلع الشمس، ثم صلى ركعتين، «
قال الألباني: حسن لغيره » كانت له كأجرحجة و عمرة قال: قال رسول الله: تامة تامة
Fifthly, The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that the du’a from ‘Asr to Maghrib on Friday is one of the blessed times in which it is most likely to be answered. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Friday is twelve hours in which there is no Muslim who asks Allah for something but He will give it to him, so seek the last hour after ‘Asr.” [Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan an-Nisaai’ and authenticated by Al-Albani].
يوم الجمعة ثنتا عشرة يريد ساعة لا يوجد مسلم يسأل الله عز وجل شيئا إلا أتاه الله «
رواه أبو داود والنسائي وصححه الألباني » عز وجل فالتمسوها آخر ساعة بعد العصر
Since, the time after ‘Asr till Maghrib, during the shorter days of the year in the United Kingdom, is so small, the effective time we seek to make that assured dua is much easier to achieve.
Sixthly, acts of worship which are restricted by time have a higher reward in terms of the percentage of time spent in worshipping. So if someone only has one hour to do his evening adhkaar - the percentage of time in that evening that he spends in performing this worship is much higher than when he does the same in his summer evenings. For instance, since the nights are very short in the summer period, the reward for praying the whole of the night is achieved simply by standing for quite a short time. The opportunity of a lifetime!
www.islamway.com
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Our Worship through the Seasons II
Seventhly, how many times do we hear ourselves bemoaning the terrible weather that the United Kingdom has? It snows in the summer, we get heat waves in the winter and to top it all off it rains throughout the year! But is complaining about the weather, which is by Allah’s decree, in fact a complaint to the Most High?
We need to realize the weather is from the many bounties of Allah and seek from its opportunities in order to raise our taqwa. I will always remember when a respected shaykh from the Middle-East visited the United Kingdom and it began to rain. As the Muslims all rushed for cover, the shaykh, ran out into the rain and began to cry profusely and make du’a. Later he told us, “In my country, we sometimes get rain just once a year. The Muslims in the United Kingdom are blessed with this opportunity of washing away their sins and thanking Allah for these blessings,” As our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Two are the du’as that are never returned unanswered: the dua made when the prayer is being called, and at the time of rainfall.” [Declared Hasan (good) by Al-Albani].
حسنه الألباني » ثنتان ما تردان: الدعاء عند النداء، و تحت المطر «
Yet it is common practice for us to complain that the weather is bad when it is raining - How much more mistaken can we be?
There are plenty of more opportunities you can think of when you ponder and reflect on the blessings Allah has bestowed us all with. Indeed, in everything there is a reason, for everything there is a season…
Our Vertical proximity with our Lord is partially determined by our Horizontal proximity with one another [1].
{By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, etc., it means here Allah’s Reward, i.e. Paradise), unless you spend (in Allah’s Cause) of that which you love; and whatever of good you spend, Allah knows it well.} [Al-e-Imran 3:92].
لَن تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّىٰ تُنفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِن شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ{آل عمران: }
92
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Transliteration: Lan tanaloo albirra hatta tunfiqoo mimma tuhibboona wama tunfiqoo min shayin fainna Allaha bihi AAaleemun
We live in a country in which the government gives us money even when we temporarily do not have a job! The concept of being poor is redefined according to time and place. A person can be technically ‘poor’, but live a luxurious life or at least a life that is far better than in developing countries - this is the time and place we live in. We also live in an area in which the currency we use has far more value than the rest of the Muslim world.
Therefore, the ways in which one can be charitable and gain a great reward is much easier. There are so many things one can do to help the poor and needy that would have been in the past exclusive to only a certain part of society, whom Allah had blessed with enough wealth. By the grace of Allah, most of us living in the developed world have been afforded the opportunity to gain great rewards through giving in charity.
For example, to make a well, would have been impossible for many of us if we lived in a less developed land. Our higher standard of living and strength of our currency means that by just saving for a few months we can easily build a well. This in itself is perhaps one of the best ways one can gain reward as the reasons for needing water are literally countless and so the associated reward for facilitating its use is even greater. That well will not only bring life to an impoverished community, it will nourish, provide clean sanitation, the ability to make ablution, help irrigate their crops and importantly, for us, is a source of immense reward.
When we read about the virtues of taking care of the widows, poor and orphans, how can we not try to help them? “One who cares for widows and the poor is like those who fight in the way of Allah or those who spend their days Fasting and their nights praying.” [Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim].
الساعي على الأرملة والمسكين، كالمجاهد في سبيل الله، أو القائم الليل والصائم «
رواه البخاري ومسلم » النهار
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Would you like that your heart becomes soft and that you acquire what you need? Be merciful with the orphan, pat his head and feed him from what you eat. This will soften your heart, and enable you to get what you need.” [At-Tabarani - Classed as Hasan (good) due to other narrations by Al-Albani].
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أتحب أن يلين قلبك، وتدرك حاجتك؟ ارحم اليتيم، وامسح رأسه، أطعمه من طعامك؛ «
رواه الطبراني، قال الألباني: حسن لغيره » يلن قلبك، وتدرك حاجتك
Our Lord has bestowed us the blessing of wealth in a time when millions around the World are suffering in poverty and adversity. These orphans and widows do not have a father or a husband to take care of their needs, so imagine the reward of the one who takes them under their wings. When we will be begging for help from our closest relative for just one hasanah on the Day of Judgement, ponder over how much hasanat there is in helping those who are in great need now. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever removes a Worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the grief’s of the Day of Judgement.” [Agreed upon].
متفق عليه »... ومن فرج عن مسلم كربة فرج الله عنه كربة من كربات يوم القيامة ...«
Who does not want their grief to be removed on the Day of Judgement? Moreover, who can guarantee their place in Paradise, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I and the caretaker of the orphan will enter Paradise together like this, raising (by way of illustration) his forefinger and middle finger jointly, leaving little space in between.” [Sahih Bukhari].
رواه » أنا وكافل اليتيم في الجنة هكذا. وأشار بالسبابة والوسطى، وفرج بينهما شيئا «
البخاري
Some of us would scramble for the opportunity to get an autograph from a sporting celebrity, how about walking into Paradise with the greatest man to have set foot on this Earth?
The blessing of having been given more wealth than many others provides many avenues for us to gain reward. Indeed, often we struggle to perfect our own worship, either because we are physically unable or even just lacking enough concentration. While providing basic necessities is highly rewarding, the facilitation of another person’s worship, gets you a similar reward to that person without even doing that act. For example building mosques in developing countries, again something well within our means; or buying and distributing the Qur’an; or sponsoring scholars or students of knowledge, so they can spread and teach Islam to whole villages; and many more such projects. Imagine, every person that prays in the mosque you built, each time each one of them prays you get a reward similar to their prayer! On the Day of Judgement when
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you are begging for just one hasanah, you find a mountain of hasanat from each letter that was recited from that Qur’an you had purchased for others to use. Now imagine the reward that can be gained by sponsoring someone to become a hafidh of Qur’an or become a scholar. They will be leading tarawih and qiyam al-lail prayers every year, being at the service of their communities and helping them all stay on the straight path. Reward the weight of a lifetime or even lifetimes for just a few Pounds.
However, it is important that we do not rely on the good reward that we can gain as a result of helping others while neglecting developing our own selves. Just fifty years ago, travelling to perform Hajj and Umrah was an act usually done once in a lifetime, the cost and the risks involved were great for the majority of the Muslim world. Nowadays, with the advent of better communications and travel, going on Umrah is not only easy but an affordable holiday each year. If there is an annual holiday worth having each year, what better holiday is there than a spiritually rejuvenating visit to the most sacred places in the World? Many of us travel to other countries for our annual breaks, often spending much more than we would if we were to go on Umrah. Travelling on holiday to other countries is permissible although remember for all the permissible acts that we do in this life, they do not ultimately count for anything on the Day we are judged.
Modern technology has certainly got its perks and dose of problems too. Everything seemed so much simpler living in a village with a horse and cart. But actually the global village we now live in has many benefits for the Muslim ummah too. We live in a time and place in which information about the affairs of the Muslims is readily accessible. Within minutes we can be informed of the plight or a disaster that may have afflicted them over a thousand miles away. At least, we can raise our hands to the sky and immediately make du’a for them. Indeed, how can we not, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no believing servant who supplicates for his brother in his absence where the Angels do not say, ‘the same be for you.’” [Sahih Muslim].
رواه مسلم » ما من عبد مسلم يدعو لأخيه بظهر الغيب، إلا قال الملك: ولك، بمثل «
As I hope to have demonstrated in this short article, rewards are easily attained. We just need to have the ambition and motivation to achieve them. I would like to mention though one last action that really is amazing. The reward of it would
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be greater than anyone who had done so in the past. It will make history and its fruits are eternal and best of all, it is attainable by each and every one of us. How can that be possible you may ask yourself?
“Whoever seeks forgiveness for the believing men and believing women, Allah will write for him a good deed for each believing man and believing woman.” [Classed as Hasan by Al-Albani].
حسنه » من استغفر للمؤمنين و للمؤمنات، كتب الله له بكل مؤمن و مؤمنة حسنة «
الألباني
How many believers have died since the beginning of time and how many are alive today?! May Allah forgive the believing men and believing women, those who have passed away and those how are alive! This is your opportunity to make history - grab it!
Do not squander the opportunities that lie in abundance in front of us. Islam, the divinely ordained way of life, has provided us opportunities, in every time and in every place, to raise our ranks in the eyes of our Lord. I can think of few better words than to end with the motivational words of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
“Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth, before you become old; and your health, before you fall sick; and your richness, before you become poor; and your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death.” [Authenticated by Al-Albani].
اغتنم خمسا قبل خمس: شبابك قبل هرمك، وصحتك قبل سقمك، وغناك قبل فقرك، «
صححه الألباني » وفراغك قبل شغلك، وحياتك قبل موتك
www.islamway.com
Asif Uddin
Source;www.islam21c.com
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The Power of Prayer. A True Story
Muniba, a young Muslim university student, was home for the summer. She had gone to visit some sisters one evening & the time passed quickly as each shared their various experiences of the past year.
She ended up staying longer than she had planned.
Evening came & Muniba had to walk home alone, but she wasn’t afraid because it was a small town and she lived only a few blocks away. As she walked along under the tall elm trees, Muniba asked “God” to keep her safe from harm & danger. When she reached the alley, which was a short cut to her house, she decided to take it.
However, halfway down the alley, she noticed a man standing at the end, as though he was waiting for her. She became uneasy & began to pray, asking for “God’s” protection. Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness & security wrapped around her; she felt as though someone was walking with her. When she reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man & arrived home safely.
The following day, she read in the paper that a young girl had been raped in the same alley, just twenty minutes after she had been there.
Feeling overwhelmed by this tragedy & the fact that it could have been her, she began to weep. Thanking the Lord for her safety & to help this young woman, she decided to go to the police station. She felt she could recognize the man, so she told them her story. The police asked her if she would be willing to look at a line up to see if she could identify him.
She agreed & immediately pointed out the man she had seen in the alley the night before. When the man was told he had been identified, he immediately broke down & confessed.
The officer thanked Muniba for her bravery & asked if there was anything they could do for her, she asked if they would ask the man one question.
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Muniba was curious as to why he had not attacked her. When the policeman asked him he answered, “Because she wasn’t alone. She had two tall men walking on either side of her.”
NEVER UNDER ESTIMATE THE POWER OF PRAYER!
http://www.daraltarjama.com
Source: www.haqaonline.com
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A World of Secrets
A World of Secrets
By: Dr. Mustafa Mahmoud
The believer does not suffer from something called psychiatric diseases. That is because he/she lives in acceptance and harmony with all that is happening to him, whether it is good or evil. He/she is just like a passenger of a plane who has full confidence in the pilot, that he cannot go wrong because he has ultimate knowledge and skills of controlling a plane. He will fly it efficiently in all circumstances and will pass by storms, heat, cold, ice and fog.
In such a plane, and with full confidence in the pilot, he can sleep in his chair in complete contentment and tranquility. He does not shiver or shake if the plane falls into turbulence, or staggers in a turn, or tends towards a mountain. He knows that all those things happen by the pilot’s will and under his knowledge, and that they happen with wisdom behind them and for a purpose of greater safety. Everything is being masterminded, and every event is predestined, and there is nothing more perfect than what has already been predestined. That is why he gives himself fully to the pilot without accountability or arguing. He has full confidence in him; that is why he stretches in his chair with full serenity, in a state of complete trust.
That is the same sense of confidence the believer has with his Lord, Who drives the ship of destiny, controls the course of events, leads the huge universe, and runs galaxies in their orbits and suns in their rising and setting.
Everything that is happening to him, which he has no power over, is eventually good. If he has an illness and medicine fails to treat him, he says to himself, “This is good!” If his plants burn because of drought and all his means fail to avoid the disaster, he says to himself, “This is good, Allah[1] (SWT) will provide me with something better.” If he fails in love, he says, “Failed love is better than a failed marriage.” If his marriage fails, then he says, “All praise be to Allah! Loneliness is better than bad company.” If his business goes bankrupt, he says, “All praise be to Allah. Perhaps Allah knows that wealth is bad for me, and that worldly earns will make me lose in the Hereafter. And if someone dear to him passes away, he says, “All praise be to Allah, Allah (SWT) is worthier of our life than we are of it and He is the only One Who knows whether it is good or bad for us to live longer. All Glory be to Him, He is not questioned about what He decrees.”
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The believer’s slogan is always: “But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not.” (TMQ, 2:216).
He always has comfort in his heart, with a tranquil soul, seeing by the light of his inner insight that the world is a place for tests and affliction, and it is just a temporary resting spot and not a permanent home. It is a temporary shelter which will be completely removed with its good and evil. Only those who show patience and gratefulness are the winners.
The believer’s heart cannot be invaded by an evil obsession, nor is his soul troubled by any scruple. That is because his soul is always busy with the remembrance of The Almighty, The Most-Merciful, and his heart always whispers: Allah…..Allah…with each pulse. The Satan cannot find a step or a dark corner in such a heart to creep in.
It is a heart that cannot be moved by calamities or shaken by disasters because it is firmly established in the seat of Truth, which never changes or alters.
The believer gives different names to all psychiatric diseases that psychiatrists talk about. For him/her repression is called sticking to chastity….. Deprivation is a spiritual development….Feeling guilty is piety…. Fear (which is fear from Allah) is a protector from slipping into sin. Suffering is the way to wisdom and grief leads to knowledge.
Desires are steps of a ladder that the believer climbs over through suppressing them. He triumphs over his desires by reining them in to reach the status of serenity and spiritual strength.
Insomnia is a gift from Allah, as the night in which the believer cannot sleep can be spent in remembrance of Allah. Spending the night with Allah is a special blessing that the believer should be thankful for; not complaining or seeking for a tranquilizer. Furthermore, if s/he remains awake till dawn, this offers him/her a chance to make his/her dawn prayer which is a great grace.
In addition, going through feelings of remorse sometimes allow the believer to reflect, return to the truth and go back to Allah. Even pain, including physical and psychological, is considered as a divine aid by which the believer can resist the lure of the worldly life and renounce it.
Despair, carrying a grudge and envy are psychiatric diseases which the believer never suffers. Furthermore, he is capable of overcoming hatred, the urges for
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revenge and retaliation through forgiveness, pardoning and tolerance. He does not get enraged except to defend one who has been oppressed and help him/her attain justice; he never practices violence except to overcome an oppressor.
The prevailing feelings that overwhelm the believer are cordiality, mercy, patience, gratitude, forbearance, compassion, gentleness, forgiveness, acceptance and contentment. Being occupied with such positive feelings, the believer develops a state in which there is no place for psychiatric diseases or psychiatry.
For the believer, the worshiped idols such as wealth, sex, prestige and authority are all demolished, and are no longer able to fragment hisher emotions, or distract hisher attention. Hence the believing soul can attain focusto unite its energy. Here the fog of desires clears, the vision becomes lucid,eddies calm down and tranquility prevails. As a consequence the believer gains more control over hisher own self, becoming more able to lead it as he turns from slavery to hisher own self to be free, and that is all because of the believer’s profound understanding of Monotheism: (there is no God except Allah (SWT). Besides, heshe realizes that there is no ruler, or controller or owner of the creation except only One, thus heshe is freed of the fear of any tyrant and any master. For him/her, even death is seen as liberty and pleasant journey to meet with the beloved.
The soul is different due to faith and becomes protected from psychiatric diseases. It is ascended to such a status by faith, obedience and worship, to the extent that its choices become as the same as what Allah chooses for it and its inclination is the same as what Allah pleases.
Narcissism and selfishness melt and no longer exist in such a faithful soul, thus it becomes a working tool and a hand executing the will of The Lord.
Such a believing soul is never afflicted by depression as it is always optimistic, having certain faith that there is no distress with the presence of Allah, and that justice can be achieved as long as there is Allah, The Utterly Just. For the believer, the door of hopefulness is always open as long as The All Able is alive and he never dies.
The believing soul is in permanent childish astonishment from the signs of divine power all around. A believer feels ecstasy of the beauty he can see in everything. He can see the traces of The Creator’s creativity in major galaxies as
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in minor atoms and micro electrons. The larger the scientific domain expands, the wider the area of fascination gets, and the ecstasy multiplies. That is why the believing soul does not know weariness, or apathy, or depression.
The grief of the believing soul is luminous. It is filled with hopefulness. In the hardest times of pain and tragedy, this soul never gives up hope and thinking well of Allah (SWT); that leads it to feel secure all the time, because it believes that Allah (SWT) is always there. For this soul, nothing saddens it more than itsown deficiencies, shortcomings and sins; notthe deficiencies or shortcomings of others. However, its deficiencies do not discourage it from striving to reform its flaws. Thus it is engaged in continuous Jihad[2](struggle), continuous climbing up the tree of sins to get out of the cone shadow to the light spreading at the top of the tree. From that light, the soul is given life; not from the thick mud at the bottom of the tree.
Thus this soul is in fighting for existence, and always engaging in a war of internal purification. However, it is a calm and confident conflict, which never disturbs its tranquility or dispels its serenity. That is because it has certainty that it fights its internal flaws with the power of Allah (God) (SWT), not by its own power. That soul’s feeling of being in permanent companionship with Allah never deserts it. That is the reason why this soul feels lasting security despite the inside fighting against ghosts of defeat and forces of nihilism….it is not fighting alone.
That is the biggest jihad (struggle) that occupies the believing soul and protects it from being occupied by trivialities, complaints and little pains; it also preserves it from obsession on its own self, lamenting itself or celebrating its talents. It is busy by going beyond itself and ascending over it. It is always in a continuous journey of exit; a journey of ascension and going beyond itself. The constitution of this soul is: to always resist what you desire and bear what you dislike.
The feelings of this soul flow smoothly in complete harmony with the universe, perfectly compatible with its laws, easily adapted to the changes that exist. Tolerance and natural simplicity are deeply rooted in such a soul; it seeks friendship with everything, and its perfect ideal is Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) while he was embracing Mount Uhud saying, “This is the mountain which loves us and we love it.” (Muslim) Thus comprehensive love is the root of all feelings of the believing soul. It is in permanent reconciliation with nature, with destiny and with Allah.
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Such a soul never suffers solitude when being alone; on the contrary it enjoys a magnificent feeling of being in the company of Allah. For this soul, loneliness does not mean emptiness, or silence; it is rather busyness in being engaged in a rich and precious internal dialogue and a deep feeling of the luminous presence of Allah (SWT) all around. This cannot be loneliness, but rather a secure embrace. The only torment for this soul is its sin, and when it suffers separation and distance from The Creator. It is an agony that can be relieved by the soul’s profound faith in Allah’s forgiveness, generosity, and His love of those who repent and pray for forgiveness.
The nearest the soul comes to its Lord is when it is prostrating itself before Him; that is when the believing soul melts in love and humility to Allah. One of thepatrons of Allah[3] said,“We are enjoying a pleasure (of closeness to Allah), which if the kings taste, they would fight us to attain it!” However, the kings are so far from experiencing such a pleasure, while they are sinking in the worldly life, imprisoned in its materialistic pleasures.
Religion, obedience and jihadare the only way for the believing soul to be born again and get out of its mud cocoon. There is no other way for its birth; as science breeds conceit, art breeds nothing except idolization. Thus, only religion is the incubator in which the soul grows and reaches its target. Among scientists there may be some with mental illness, busy in inventing devastating weapons and poisonous gas. Among artists, there may be some deifying themselves and drowning in sensory pleasures. Religion alone is the path for the soul to attain integrity, salvation and healing.
The believing soul is always active, energetic and working to serve and help others. Its contemplation and worship never cut it off from being engaged in people’s everyday lives. You can see it in streets, markets and crowdedness of livelihood. That is because it sees work as an aspect of worship; and sweat and toil are the treatment and cure of the diseases of luxury, laziness and idleness.
The life of such a soul is a journey of longing for Allah, a trip of gaining knowledge and a message of helping others. Working is its gate to mental health. Its ultimate hope is to still be able to work until the last breath, and to die while planting a tree, building a wall or lighting a candle. Such a soul is a lifeboat, and it is protected from any psychiatric disease. It has no need of these days’
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medicine as its life is truly a prescription of happiness.
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Source: “A World of Secrets”, by Dr. Mustafa Mahmoud
Translated by: Amany Elmorshidy
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[1]The word Allah is the Arabic term for God. Although the use of the word “Allah” is most often associated with Islam, it is not used exclusively by Muslims; Arab Christians and Arabic-speaking Jews also use it to refer to the One God. The Arabic word expresses the unique characteristics of the One God more precisely than the English term. Whereas the word “Allah” has no plural form in Arabic, the English form does. Allah is the God worshiped by all Prophets, from Adam to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.
[2] Any earnest striving in the way of Allah, involving personal, physical, intellectual or military effort, for righteousness and against wrong-doing. “Lesser Jihad”: fighting to protect Islam from attack or oppression. In such fighting, no woman, child or innocent civilian is to be harmed, and no tree is to be cut down. “Greater Jihad”: internal struggle for the soul (nafs) against evil and temptation.
[3]Pious worshippers of Allah who enjoy an elevated degree of faith that exceeds that of the common people
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